Babysitter fees for temporary childcare covered up to ¥2,500/hour in the daytime (144 hours/year)

When you suddenly need temporary childcare, for example due to unexpected circumstances, babysitter fees are subsidized. The limit is ¥2,500 per hour for daytime use from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and ¥3,500 per hour for night use from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning. The available time is up to 144 hours per child per fiscal year, extended to 288 hours per fiscal year for children with disabilities, single-parent families, and multiple births. Eligible children are preschool children (until the end of the fiscal year in which they turn 6), children with disabilities up to grade 6 of elementary school, and sick or recovering children up to grade 3 of elementary school. Sick or recovering children in grades 1 to 3 were newly added from April 2026. This is a separate program from the "company partnership type" babysitter support for households on daycare waiting lists.